The Punjab chief minister, Mr. Surjit Singh Barnala’s decision not to have anything to do with the rival Akali Dal headed by Mr. Parkash Singh Badal must be warmly welcomed by all those who have the interests of the Sikh community and Punjab at heart. The issue has been clinched for Mr. Barnala by Mr. Badal’s presence at a function organised by the extremist All-India Sikh Students Federation to honour the assassins of Sant Longowal. This sharp reaction is understandable on two counts. First, Mr. Barnala sees himself, and quite legitimately, as Sant Longowal’s successor. Secondly, it is truly extraordinary that Mr. Badal should go so far as to associate himself with those who regard the assassins of Sant Longowal as Sikh heroes. But it must be admitted that Mr. Badal and Mr. Gurcharan Singh Tohra, the former SGPC chief, who is perhaps the cleverest manipulator in Akali politics, have made no secret of their willingness to support extremist organisations. There has been an element of surprise in all this, as far as Mr. Badal is concerned. In his political career earlier he was not known to be a rabid communalist; indeed, as chief minister twice, he had been fully acceptable to the Hindus in the state. But that is history. Mr. Badal has chosen, for whatever reasons, to cast his lot with the extremists who create the atmosphere which makes it possible for the terrorists to go on killing and looting. We have to deal with him on that basis.
Mr. Barnala has taken time to nerve himself to face the fact that the two factions in Akali Dal cannot be united except on Mr. Tohra’s and Mr. Badal’s terms. These terms include Mr. Barnala’s own resignation as chief minister and as president of his faction. Clearly Mr. Barnala cannot be interested in making such a sacrifice. But even if he were, “unity” with the Tohra-Badal group can only mean betraying the interests of the Sikh community. For the association of a reunited Dal, with extremism and terrorism, must further undermine the moral position of the comÂmunity in the country. Mr. Barnala appears to have decided that he will not so betray the interests of the Sikhs. We hope that his fellow Sikhs will see his action in that light. We also hope that if there are some individuals in or around the corridors of power in New Delhi, who have sought to establish contact with Mr. Badal, they will desist from these misguided efforts or will be told by Mr. Rajiv Gandhi to do so. With all his weaknesses, discussed earlier in these and adjoining columns, Mr. Barnala deserved to be backed in his struggle with the enemies, willing or unwilling, of India and the Panth.